NHL Player News

Andersen made 19 saves on 22 shots in Thursday's 6-3 win over New Jersey.

This divisional matchup was hanging in the balance late in third period and looked like it was heading for overtime, but the Hurricanes found the back of the net three times in the final three minutes, allowing Andersen to pick up the win in the regular-season opener. The veteran netminder will look to get in a groove in the early going of the campaign, as Pyotr Kochetkov is dealing with an undisclosed injury. Brandon Bussi is serving as the No. 2 netminder for now, but Andersen will probably be back between the pipes for Saturday's home matchup versus the Flyers.

Demko stopped 17 of 18 shots in Thursday's 5-1 win over the Flames.

Demko didn't face much of a challenge against a Flames team on the second half of a back-to-back. The Canucks still had a thin lead for the much of the first two periods before pulling away in the third. Demko is set to operate as the starter in 2025-26, though any slump could open the door for Kevin Lankinen to get some playing time. The Canucks will hit the road for the first time for their next game, which is a tough test Saturday in Edmonton.

Ullmark made made 21 saves Thursday in a 5-4 win over Tampa Bay.

His team roared back after going down 3-1, and Ullmark held the proverbial fort to earn the victory. Durability was an issue for Ullmark last season -- he played just 44 games. Leevi Merilainen kept the Sens in the hunt in December and January, and he will be counted on this year to keep Ullmark fresh for the postseason. It won't be a 50/50 split -- Ullmark is clearly the starter. However, keep an eye on how the two are deployed, as managing weekly lineups may prove to be a challenge at times based on the number of games each goaltender plays.

Vasilevskiy made 29 saves in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Senators. He allowed four goals.

Dylan Cozens and Artem Zub each beat Vasilevskiy once, and Shane Pinto scored two against him, but thee game was still tied until the 18:13 mark of the third. Vasilevskiy is a strong fantasy option despite Thursday's loss. The Lightning played a bit loose and let a 3-1 lead slip away, which isn't something that's likely to happen often.

Vejmelka allowed two goals on 25 shots in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Avalanche.

Vejmelka was steady, but the Mammoth didn't give him enough support on offense. The 29-year-old netminder went 26-22-8 with a 2.58 GAA and a .904 save percentage in 58 games a season ago, with all of those marks representing career bests. Vejmelka is the unquestioned starter over Vitek Vanecek to begin 2025-26 and will look to be steady at the back for a Utah team that has playoff aspirations. The Mammoth continue their season-opening road trip in Nashville on Saturday.

Wedgewood allowed one goal on 32 shots in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Mammoth.

Wedgewood has been exactly what the Avalanche have needed to get by without Mackenzie Blackwood (lower body) early in the season. This was Wedgewood's second win in as many starts, and he's allowed just two goals on 57 shots in those games. The 33-year-old netminder's strong play will allow Colorado to be careful with Blackwood's recovery. As such, expect Wedgewood to get the starting nod again Saturday versus the Stars in the Avalanche's first game of the season against a division rival.

Vladar made 32 saves in a 2-1 loss to Florida on Thursday.

Anton Lundell beat him early in the second period on the power play, and Brad Marchand put a shot over his left shoulder early in the third for the winner. This could be a long season for Vladar, who played well behind a young team learning a new system under head coach Rick Tocchet. The Flyers also took five minor penalties compared to the Panthers' two.

Bobrovsky made 19 saves in a 2-1 win over the Flyers on Thursday.

The Panthers need big things from Bobrovsky and the defensive corps while Matthew Tkachuk (groin) and Aleksander Barkov (knee) are missing due to injury. Noah Cates was the only player to beat Bobrovsky. Cates rushed the net, grabbed a rebound and lifted it over Bobrovsky's head. It's Bobrovsky's second win in two games this season, and those two wins made Florida the sixth reigning Stanley Cup champions in the past 30 years to win each of their first two games of the season.

Lyon made 29 saves in a 4-0 loss to the Rangers on Thursday. He allowed three goals.

The game was closer than the score suggests. Lyon kept the game at 1-0 until Carson Soucy scored at 14:46 of the third frame. Lyon is serving as the Sabres' starting netminder early in the season since Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is on the shelf with a lower-body injury. Lyon's skills are better suited for backup duty, but he did put up a 2.81 GAA in 30 games last season.

Shesterkin made 37 saves in a 4-0 victory over Buffalo on Thursday.

It was his 22nd NHL shutout. Shesterkin bailed his team out several times on the night. He's looked superstar sharp in his first two games this season, allowing just one goal on 65 shots. Shesterkin is looking to bounce back from a somewhat off 2024-25 where he registered the worst statistical season of his career. He went 27-29-5 with a 2.86 GAA and .905 save percentage. So far, so good.